Stone Systems unveils green facility

May 27, 2008

MIAMI – Stone Systems of Florida announces the opening of their new Miami factory, designed with the environment in mind. The new Stone Systems; South Florida stone fabrication plant will turn out 40 to 50 kitchens of Silestone quartz and SenSa granite surfaces each day and is considered a model for production and energy efficiency, water conservation and recycling in the stone industry.

The 30,000-square-foot facility, located at 3501 NW 16th St., will employ 50 to 60 people at full capacity.

"Stone Systems of South Florida has invested in the best technology to preserve our most direct surroundings to favor the environment, while our building’s green features reduce environmental costs,” said Kurt Thiemer, general manager of Stone Systems of South Florida. “Our goal is to implement the most effective environmental system to every process and proactively searching to reduce waste while continually improving our daily operations.”

Water is the primary resource used in cutting, polishing and keeping diamond blades cool during the stone fabrication process. The commodity is preserved through a custom water reclamation system that captures water used in fabrication and then filters it for reuse.

To conserve energy, special natural light canisters have been placed throughout Stone System's roof to help eliminate overhead lighting during most months of the year. Silestone MURO tiles are made from 100% recycled Silestone quartz created during fabrication, making it closed loop recycling, reducing the amount of waste to the environment and maximizing the sustainability of quartz.

“Additionally, our flagship product Silestone has certifications by the national sanitation foundation and the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute,” Kurt said, “This means Silestone quartz is a safer surface for areas where food preparation takes place, while protecting the quality of your indoor environment.”

Silestone and Silestone MURO are certified by the Greenguard Environmental Institute to emit low to no toxic fumes into the indoor air during their product lifetime.

We value the environment, stand behind a product that is environmental resourceful, and we follow through on this philosophy in everything we do from conserving paper when printing to maximizing the stone to reduce scrap,” Kurt said, “We do what is right for the environment and will continue to look for more ways to recycle, reuse and restore to better the environment.

We are committed to respecting the environment in all of our production processes from the extraction and transformation to the distribution of our products. Stone Systems of South Florida and its parent company, Cosentino, have partnered to invest in our environment.

During the past few years, Cosentino’s rapid growth has positioned our company as a worldwide leader in the stone industry. Cosentino invests a significant percentage of its annual income in the installment and operations of various environmental systems within the stone industry. All of this makes it possible for Cosentino to be one of the stone industries most green-conscious companies with respect to the environment.